FRIENDSHIPS ARE FOREVER (Episode 4)

 

FRIENDSHIPS ARE FOREVER

While this reflects a paradisiacal glory of sorts, this is a moment in time when we came up for air and tried to capture the beauties of this paradise.  There was about a 10 minute window for this sunset scene.

What did this week really feel like? 

FALLING FROM 13,000 FT WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM A FRIEND

Until Wednesday we had the help of Elder and Sister Hilton, which was especially valuable helping Graham get through the pressure of that first Area Presidency meeting.

First Goodbye

We said goodbye to the Hiltons on Wednesday evening.  They are truly exceptional servants of the Lord.  They served for 2 1/2 years of a mission that started out to be an 18 month mission.  They were sent back to the US and worked remotely for 5 months during the early days of the Pandemic in 2020, and miraculously got back into Japan.  They were scheduled to go home on May 10, 2021; but, they were unable to leave until we arrived.  Finally we did the handoff in Guam 7 months later.  They are a wonderful example of steadfast and valiant service.  Needless to say, we are missing them greatly.  Our hearts are connected as friends forever.

Second Goodbye

On Friday morning we said goodbye to the Bosses.  Rod and Lori Boss have been good friends forever already, 34 years.  We were friends in Japan in the late 80's, New Jersey in the early 90's, and Japan again in the late 90's.  Rod is President and CEO of Docomo Pacific and is also serving as one of the Bishops on the island.  We had dinner together with them and the Hiltons last Sunday.  They were going back to Utah for the holidays and invited us to house sit for them.  So, we moved in on Thursday night.  They are great people and no matter our proximity friendships remain fresh forever.

Big Hello

These wonderful senior missionary couples were all called to serve in Japan, and are waiting here in Guam for visas to enter the country, except the Hiltons in the middle who just completed their mission. All of them have had to adjust to changing duties, changing living quarters, and uncertain futures for many months.  

From left to right 

Elder and Sister Denny were called to provide mental health services for missionaries in the Asia North Area and have since had the Asia Area added to their portfolio of duties, and they are all remote sessions.  2 Areas and over 20 missions keep them very busy

Elder and Sister Burkdull were called to provide Communications expertise to the Area and have to do work with the Area staff and community contacts remotely, which is difficult with the internet issues that we all face.

Next are the Hiltons -

Elder and Sister Hall were called to provide legal support to the Philippines and was shifted to the Asia North Area after coming to Guam

Elder and Sister Richard (interestingly their first names are Steve and Carol) were to work with the military relations in Japan, but are now working with the Air Force and Navy bases here in Guam

Elder and Sister Smith, like the Halls, are helping to support the Legal Counsel's office in the Area.

Elder and Sister Evans were called to serve in the Japan Fukuoka Mission in the office.  But, since he is a dentist and is based here he has taken on a new role as the Area Dental advisor and is helping missionaries dealing with dental issues, in addition to now also being assigned as Family History specialists.  It has become quite a different mission than what they expected.

Elder and Sister Nickel serve as the Medical Advisor to the Area.   He is very busy working with missionaries and mission leaders remotely to advise on their medical issues.  They served their first 9 months remotely from home, and have been serving from Guam for the last 9 months of their mission.  They will be returning to Salt Lake City in about a month without ever having been in Japan.

It is an honor to become part of this group of pioneering missionaries who are out serving however, wherever, and whom ever the Lord needs them too.  We had a birthday dinner for Elder Denny on Friday night and it was so much fun to get better acquainted.

What a blessing for us to be building these new friendships that will forever impact our lives!

Eternity is a difficult concept to fully comprehend with our finite vision and mortal perspective.  But, our inner senses (beyond sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste) tell us with clarity that our hearts are connected and the relationships created from those connections are beyond time.

How grateful we are to be able to know, through our inner senses, that our relationship with Heavenly Parents is real, that their Son is real, He is our brother,  He loves us, those family relationships are trillions of years old (in mortal terms) and will never end.

We bear witness of Their reality and Their divinity in the name of Jesus Christ!!